The number of layoffs in the US has increased significantly since the end of 2007. During such time, age discrimination claim, or at least the perception of age discrimination layoffs, have also increased. As more jobs must be cut for companies to survive, a number of laid off employees have been over the age of 40, the age considered protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. In many cases, these layoffs had nothing to do with the age of the employee, but rather with the relative necessity of the job being performed. However, it is certainly plausible that some employees were targeted for layoff because of their age. Older employees are often targeted because their wages may be higher than younger employees or because they are close to retirement age. Though its impossible to predict how many of these claims are legitimate, the EEOC has seen a 29% increase in age discrimination complaints in the last year, as more and more employees have lost jobs due to the failing economy.